Hi, when I was 17 years, my best mate got me hooked to pokie machine my bet were like $5 to begin with I was afraid to lose this amount at first but when I have won some I was happy and enjoy it, my best mate played more than I do and he put in 20-50 bucks .at first i thought, is he crazy or what ? but when he hit a features or win some large sum of money I was envy cos he won more than I did, since this I have ante up my bet limit and match his . I have been winning a lot off pokie thru the years but I believe I have lost more than I won, since then I have play pokie mostly on Friday or Saturdays depends on event or plans. when I am drunk I do spend a lot more than I plan to and lose it all when I tried to chase it back. mostly time I get all or more back but on some worse nights I lose more than 1k or even my weekly wage in a single night.. couples year ago I realised I have gamble problems and I tried to control money by set limited withdrawn on atm card or limited cash with me. I have been really good at this time and control it. now I get older (30) and have more responsible and financial with my partner who I lives with in rented house. with this increase of costs and wedding coming up I went back to my old habits and gamble away more than I budgeted. now I do gamble like 1k everyweekend or even some night during the week. early last year I won massive sum of money in my life and it was awesome feels and it does help me pay off the wedding, but down the tracks I thought I am getting more lucky and win more but its not this case and I have lost most of it . also I play poker all the time which I love it, it is a awesome game with emotional into it and meets new players and shares some story about poker experience. I don’t have any problem with gamble away on poker cos I usually pay 50-100 bucks on buy in each game or so, but when poker is on breaks I get bored or my mates goes into smoke room where there is pokie machine everywhere and I watch my mates play and I thought to myself I might as well have go at it. latterly losing more money down the drain.or even if I wins the poker I ended up go and play pokie using the winning and blew it all in same night or next day,, on top of this gamble issues it had made me depression and angry too. when I lose the money, I go home in angry mood or disappointment, even I take it out at my partner for no reason which is unfair on her but it probably have cost me bigtime with my Ex financee who have called our wedding off recently, Im devo and feel guilty with all my issues latterly and I have seek a counsellor to help me with them I have been trying to tell myself to cut down gambles latterly, I have done this but after she ended it with me, my habits had gone through the roof atm and I need help control it again but it probably too late to save what is left in our relationship to repairs it.. I TOTALLY REGRETTED for not listening or see the signs from my ex finacee when she thinks I have gamble problems. my advise is to gamble wise and listen to all signs that is throw around in your head saying it time to stop or time to go home if you have lost some or win more don’t ignore it even if you think u are getting more lucky by play more games. also take your partner seriously when she or he says you have gamble problem, don’t be afraid to ask for help, I finally had some gut to get some help and continue will seeking along the way